Chapter Fourteen:
Only You Can Make That
Word Sound Like an Insult
Alayna finds that she can breath again upon returning to life this time. Now just has to figure out where the hell she is and how long she has been gone. By the view and the smell she thinks it must be Staten Island. With her bearings firmly in place she flies back home to try to figure out the later.
She enters the stale apartment and checks the computer's calendar and sees that she has been gone for two weeks. That should have plenty of time for Loki to have gone about his way to other distractions. Tired and hungry she heads to the kitchen to find some sustenance, blinding herself as she flips on the lights. Too distracted, she does not notice the drop in temperature until she comes face to face with a pair of very dark and angry eyes belonging to the God of Mischief himself dressed in his trade mark black suit leaning against the kitchen wall and literally seething in anger. She immediately looks sheepishly down at her feet in embarrassment and guilt gritting her teeth. She tries to speak, stops then starts again. "I bet you want an explanation."
Loki continues to stare daggers at her before answering in a voice that is barely restrained. "I thought you were dead." He shows her no mercy. Instead stalks towards her, causing her to take a few steps backwards. Alayna holds up her hands in front of him trying to explain her actions. "Technically I was. I just didn't stay that way. I thought if I convinced you that I was dead you would move on. I thought it would be the best for both of us." She feels Loki's power and emotion roll over her and shivers. He continues to move forward until he is looming over her small frame and repeats through clenched teeth. "I thought you were dead and I mourned you!"
Finally she loses her nerve, darts away from him to the other side of the room. "Loki, I am sorry! I panicked and did something very stupid. Tell me you have never done anything like that before!" He changes directions intent on teaching her a lesson until her words finally register. How many times have he heard those exact words himself. He opens his mouth to say something before shutting it again.
She takes the opportunity to defend her actions once again. "I know I over reacted. I am just not used to caring about someone. It's been awhile. I panicked." She still maintains her distance and puts the kitchen island between them,. He continues to look at her incredulously and somewhat embarrassingly before continuing. "So you would rather face death than your conflicting emotions?" She just nods. Again, he thinks to speak then stops himself, his face a riot of emotion and confusion. He shakes his head. "But I saw you die?"
She manages to remain calm and tries to address him as one might a wounded animal. "I did die but technically I am immortal. I don't stay dead." He is having a hard time taking in the situation. "So you stole my dagger and killed yourself. Is it really so terrible caring for me?" Knowing that this is a loaded question she tries to be careful about how she answers it and fails. "Basically. You can be difficult to deal with." Realizing how tactless that sounds she slaps her hand over her mouth before trying to correct herself but it is too late. Incensed again, he closes the remaining distance and stares down at her in an attempt to salvage his pride and intimidate her. "Would you like to clarify that statement?!"
His tactic back fires and her anger rises to meet his own. She pushes back. "Well you are an arrogant, entitled,self centered prick! And besides, you are too tall!" For the moment Loki is speechless but only for a moment. "I beg your pardon?!" This time she stalks towards him and he is the one who has to move back. She punctuates her words with a series of pokes with her finger to his chest. "I said,,, you..are..too..tall!" He shakes his head at her audacity. "I cannot help it that you are too... diminutive!"
Alayna gives him a cold stare before replying. "Only you could make that word sound like an insult." He matches her stare for stare. "I meant it as one." Then he proceeds to pick her up and sits her on the kitchen counter. With a growl and a wave of power of her own, she launches herself at him.
They both go flying across the room, crashing into the refrigerator before coming to rest on the floor, the one trying to get the best of the other. Loki comes to his senses first. "This is childish! I will not fight you any longer. Since my presence seems to offend you I will take me leave." Alayna gets up the floor." Fine!" Loki looks at her in exasperation. "Fine." She just looks back at him and crosses her arms, waiting ...Loki." He mirrors her posture. "What?!" She steps into his personal space one more time. "Get the fuck out of my kitchen." He disappears right in front of her.